Unless you're a sick duck and have doctor's orders to stay indoors!
Niel found poor little Vidi in her duck house (quacker box) in distress this afternoon. Poor thing couldn't stand and her teeth her chattering. OK, they weren't her teeth, her beak was clattering. Niel told me she's probably egg bound. He reads about these things and turned out he was right. First thing he did was look up on the internet what to do for her: Keep her warm and put some vegetable oil on her bottom to facilitate the stubborn egg. Our personal vet is off on Thursdays, and no one in his office knew what to do. I called Debbie who is a Veterinarian by education, but now works as a stay at home mom. She recommended a couple doctors and I was able to reach one by phone.
The kind doctor told us to bring her on over and she'd see her right away. They were all very kind and were excited to see a duck in an office that primarily sees cats and dogs and an occasional ferret. The office staff gave us special treatment and didn't make us wait in the waiting room with the dogs. The doctor wasn't able to feel the egg, so she recommended an X-ray. $95, she said. Eek! Vidi sat nice and still for her x-rays and they got lovely films. I'm wondering if we might be able to use the films for when Niel shows his poultry for 4-H. That would make his poultry more interesting, to have an x-ray with a big egg stuck in the pelvis. It was very home-schooly and educational. The doctor talked a lot to Niel about the x-ray.
Vidi didn't cooperate as well with the needle getting stuck in her side to empty the egg of its contents, so they had to give her gas to make her sleep. I'm thinking--whoa! Eric's going to be upset about this vet bill! We went home for the hour that the procedure lasted and I picked up some fresh brown chicken eggs for the doctor---I was feeling very James Herriot.
Well, the good doctor really IS a good doctor. Not only is Vidi feeling much better now, but she charged us the price she'd charge if Vidi had been a wild duck that we had brought in. I sure appreciate that. It was still a big bill, but there was no charge for the x-ray or the sedation. Whew! Thank God!
Vidi has to stay inside tonight. She's feeling a little weary, but she's ready to get back outside and enjoy her favorite food: MUD PUDDLES!!
Veni, vidi, vici!
5 comments:
I think I should probably add, being a responsible human being and all, that the above photo of Vidi is a posed picture. She isn't really so emotional that she's standing at the door longing to be outside in the rain. That would be personification. Really she's still just a little sedated in the photo and we could have taken her in just about any pose we could think of that afternoon.
I don't want you to think that ducks really have such human emotions and thoughts. No duck that I've ever had experience with would make a good house pet.
The picture below, of the chicken and cat, however, is NOT posed. Chicken wants IN where she seems to recall she has been fed before, also she associates people with food. It's funny too that they have trouble telling mammals apart. As far as a chicken knows, the dog could easily toss her a handful of grain.
I loved your story about your duck. I had heard the term "egg bound" but didn't realize what that meant. Silly me! Poor duck! I'm glad your vet was able to help. Your dh will not miss the money when your have the blue ribbon prize hanging on the wall. Well, I hope he doesn't anyway. :)
I'm glad to hear poor Vidi is doing better. I'm guessing feeling eggbound, for a duck, must be akin to a human being very constipated. Poor creature!
Now, THAT was educational! :-) Great animal science lesson.
I too, have never heard the term "egg bound". What a good story.
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